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Monday, 24 October 2011

Half-term Happenings - a new look for nails

It's reached that glorious time in October when I get a week off to catch up on a few things that I've been eager to blog about, in between marking and planning for the next 6 weeks worth of lessons! First up, is a few new looks I've been trying on my nails....

Last weekend, as well as trying out the B.B. Cream, I also found time to 'get 'shellacked' at a new salon that had opened near me, saving the hassle of the 30 minute trek into Norwich for an appointment that I would have had to have booked at least a week in advance. I was introduced to gel-polishes back in the Summer and it really was love at first sight. I went back for three more manicures but by the end of August, I thought it was about time to give my nails a break.

So a month later, I finally caved in and I booked myself an appointment to try CND's Shellac(having previously tried a lesser known brand). The Shellac is proving to be just as good as I expected it to be - although being a perfectionist, I wasn't entirely happy with the technicians application of it, but that's another story! I think it was Strawberry Smoothie that I chose in the end, a nice nude/pale shade, as previously I had got a little frustrated with obvious regrowth from the darker colours.

I know not everyone has discovered gel-polishes yet - I should get commission for recommending it to so many of my friends - so watch this space as I hope to devote a post to them in the future.

A week later, the start of a glorious 9 days off school and a couple of new purchases meant experiment time! After reading a post in The Yummy Mummy's Beauty Blog, about Gosh Nail Glitter I purchased some from Superdrug, in gold, and was eager to try it out with my pink Shellac manicure. So I got nail happy with the glitter and one of my favourite glitzy polishes, Maxfactor's Max Effect Mini Nail Polish in 01 Ivory, a gorgeous pale gold glitter polish that is very easy to apply. I tried out three different looks, sealing all with my must-have nail product - Seche Vite Top Coat - if you have not tried this yet then you have no idea what you are missing! I thought that the gold would make a nice contrast to the pale pink tone and below shows the results that I came up with.

Firstly, I left my little finger with just the Shellac coating on to use it as a comparison. On my ring finger I applied a French tip with clear polish and then dipped my finger into the pot of Gosh Nail Glitter. I blew off any excess glitter and applied the Seche Vite Top Coat, voila! This look was so easy to create.
On my middle finger, I coated the whole nail with clear polish and then coated it entirely with the Gosh Nail Glitter by dipping it in the pot. This creates a gorgeous glitzy look that is perfect for parties or nights out, but is a little too full on for general day-to-day wear. Again, I applied the Seche Vite Top Coat to seal in the glitter.
And lastly, on my first finger, I tried using the Maxfactor Max Effect Nail Polish as a french tip to the nail, it was very easy to do this with the polish and I was really pleased with the effect it gave. It was slightly more subtle that the glitter French tip and a little easier to create.

In fact, I liked it so much, that today, after giving myself a cuticle manicure (regrowth is getting a little obvious after a week of Shellac wear, but thankfully, not as noticeable as dark polish!) I then did all my nails with the Maxfactor Max Effect gold French tip and I love it! Definitely something I will try again, but maybe go for a black base instead of the pink, for a more dramatic look.

Gosh Nail Glitter is available in 10 different shades from Superdrug at £3.99 each.

Maxfactor Max Effect Mini Nail Polish is available in 14 different shades from Boots at £3.99 each.